Celebrate 50 years as a co-op community!
The Merc Co+op is celebrating 50 years of serving as northeast Kansas’s only cooperative grocery store. Join us commemorating this milestone with events, sales, and more in our stores and in the community!
"As we celebrate a half-century of community-driven success, we want to appreciate everyone who shops at our stores and the 9,622 member owners of our co-op. Your support has not only sustained us but has allowed us to expand from Lawrence to Kansas City, where we continue to grow and make good, local food more accessible in Northeast Kansas. Here's to fifty more years of nourishing our neighborhoods together." Rita York Hennecke, GM
The Co-op Wars Documentary Film Screening
During this month’s Owner Drive, join in a free screening of documentary film The Co+op Wars! The film explores the political and economic organizing efforts of a passionate group of people building an alternative food economy in Minneapolis in the 1970s — the same moment the Community Mercantile (now The Merc Co+op) was forming. Register here!
Thursday, September 19 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the KCK Public Library, Auditorium 2, with refreshments. A special introduction from our Board Treasurer, Deon Whitten at 5:45.
Friday, September 27 at the Lawrence Arts Center from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at their 10th and Mass Studios. The film will be followed by a brief panel discussion about the impact of the co-op model with Tom Buller of the Kansas Rural Center, Erica Blair with K-State Extension, and Mark Sprague, co-op Board Member; facilitated by co-op GM Rita York Hennecke.
Watkins Museum of History Exhibit + the 1970s Project
The Watkins Museum of History is holding a free exhibit in their community gallery outlining the history of The Merc Co+op and featuring photos and co-op memorabilia. The exhibit will be open Saturday, September 28 – Saturday, November 16. An open house with refreshments is scheduled for Saturday, October 19 from 2 – 4 p.m. The Merc Co+op’s history is inextricably linked to the history of Douglas County. We are grateful to The Watkins Museum of History for their work preserving the stories that have shaped our community, including ours.
The 1970s were a pivotal moment for civil rights and cultural achievements in Lawrence. From integrating a swimming pool to establishing an arts center and community theater, the decade marked many significant milestones. Participate in the 1970s Project by sharing your story using the link at right!
Good Company IPA Collaboration with Free State Brewing
Stop by the store to pick up a limited release of our 50th commemorative beer, the Good Company IPA, a collaboration with Free State Brewing Company, while supplies last. Chuck Magerl, founder of Free State Brewing Company, was part of the worker collective at The Merc Co+op when it formed. During his tenure with the co-op, he helped change the liquor laws in Kansas to open Free State Brewing Company — the first legal brewery in the state after Prohibition.
October Owner Appreciation Days
Our biannual Owner Appreciation Days sale returns in October! All owners save 20% on a shopping trip! And keep an eye out for 50th themed deals all month long.
The co-op’s Board of Directors will be serving birthday cake at the store with giveaways, local vendor sampling, and commemorative 50th Anniversary merchandise like totes, mugs, pint glasses, and apparel.
Thank you to our owners and shoppers for continuing to choose The Merc Co+op as your destination for good, local food.
